North-West hotspot for dog-attack horror

Chloe Walker savaged by a dog in 2011, now scarred for life.

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One in every six hospital admissions for dog bites or attacks occurs in the North-West, according to new figures.

While the overall number of hospital admissions relating to injuries from dogs has fallen, the North-West accounted for 17.4 per cent of all admissions for dog bites or attacks in the 12 months to May, the equivalent of 1,099 admissions.

The data, from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), show there were 6,334 hospital admissions overall for dog bites or attacks in England, a fall of 1.9 per cent on the previous year.

Yorkshire and the Humber had the second highest number of admissions (14.6 per cent or 925 admissions) while the South-East coast area had the lowest (3.6 per cent or 229 admissions).

In March, 14-year-old Jade Anderson died in Atherton, near Wigan, after being attacked by four dogs.

She was mauled by two Staffordshire bull terriers and two bull mastiffs while at a friend’s house.

There have also been some high-profile cases in Oldham. Chloe Walker, from Shaw, called for the legislation to cover attacks on private property after she was badly mauled by a Japanese Akita crossed with a Rottweiler when she visited a friend’s relative in 2011.

The 16-year-old suffered a fractured cheekbone and had her lips torn to shreds, leading to two operations and more than 100 stitches.
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